This invention relates generally to the field of dispensing devices and systems. More particularly, this invention relates to the field of devices and systems for dispensing paper products such as napkins, towels, toilet tissue, etc.
Various types of dispensers for paper products have been developed to provide ready availability of the paper products to users. Such dispensers are often provided in public places such as restaurants or rest rooms where customers remove from the dispenser a desired amount of paper products for personal use. In some high traffic areas, such as fast food restaurants, a large number of customers may use a paper product dispenser such as a napkin dispenser in a short period of time. Therefore, dispensers have been developed that hold a large number of paper products for use by a large number of consumers.
However, many dispensers are difficult to load, and that difficulty can increase with the size of the dispenser. If paper products are not properly loaded into the dispenser, the paper products may jam as users remove them, thereby preventing further removal of paper products. Also, a person refilling a large dispenser is more likely, due to the larger number of paper products involved, to drop some of the paper products onto a floor. Any dropped paper products are then unsanitary and must be discarded, thereby creating more waste and again defeating the benefits of the larger dispenser.
These difficulties can be partially overcome through use of large dispensers and cartridges containing the paper products. Such a dispenser/cartridge system is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/156,230. The use of cartridges in such a system simplifies the process of maintaining inventory and refilling empty dispensers.
However, cartridges make refills more expensive. Therefore, there exists a need for a simple and less expensive cartridge that is reliable in use. Also, if a single cartridge is used to refill a dispenser, the cartridge can be quite large. Therefore, there also exists a need for a cartridge which contains a greater number of a given paper product per unit volume of cartridge. Stated another way, there exists a need for a smaller cartridge that still provides the number of products required to fill the dispenser. The smaller cartridge must be easily opened after being inserted in a dispenser.
In response to the discussed difficulties and problems encountered in the prior art a new cartridge and dispensing system has been discovered.
One embodiment, a dispensing cartridge that is designed to be inserted into the interior area of a housing includes a flexible bag sized to the dimensions of the products contained within the bag. The cartridge also includes a plurality of products compressed within the flexible bag in the dispensing direction and a means for restraining the cartridge within a housing. Additionally, the cartridge includes a means for releasing the products from the flexible bag so that upon release at least a number of the products are ejected from the bag into dispensing position within a housing.
The flexible bag for containing the products may be substantially rectangular. The flexible bag may be constructed from paper or a thermoplastic polymer such as polyethylene. The flexible bag may be formed of a plastic sheet such that the bag has panels with a thickness that may be from about 0.3 to about 15 mils. Desirably, the bag may have panels or walls with a thickness that may be from about 1 to about 7 mils. More desirably, the panels or walls may have a thickness that may be from about 2 to about 3 mils. One mil is 0.001 inch or 0.0254 mm.
The plurality of products compressed within the flexible bag may be a plurality of absorptive products. The products may be napkins, tissues, towels or wipers. The products may be compressed within the cartridge in a direction substantially parallel to their thickness. Desirably, the products may be made of paper. It is contemplated that the products may be paper products compressed to reduce volume prior to packaging and then compressed again within the cartridge.
The means for restraining the cartridge within the housing may include at least one housing hook member attached to a flap attached to the top of the flexible bag. Additionally, the means for restraining the cartridge within the housing may include a flap attached to the top of the flexible bag. The flap may define one or more cartridge mounting holes.
The means for releasing the products from the flexible bag may include a removable product release portion of the flexible bag, removal of the product release portion creating an opening and allowing the plurality of products to expand out of the flexible bag. Additionally, the means for releasing the products from the flexible bag may include a tab attached to the removable product release portion which, when pulled, would allow the removal of the product release portion. The removable product release portion may be defined by a series of perforations in the flexible bag.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a dispensing cartridge is provided for dispensing a plurality of individual paper products from a dispenser housing. The cartridge includes a flexible, substantially rectangular, bag. The flexible bag may be formed of paper, nonwoven materials or plastic films or combinations thereof. For example, the flexible bag may be formed of a plastic sheet such that the bag has panels with a thickness that may be from about 0.3 to about 15 mils. Desirably, the bag may have panels or walls with a thickness that may be from about 1 to about 7 mils. More desirably, the panels or walls may have a thickness that may be from about 2 to about 3 mils. One mil is 0.001 inch or 0.0254 mm.
The bag is sized to the dimensions of the paper products to be loaded in it. Within the flexible bag is a plurality of paper products compressed within the flexible bag in a direction substantially parallel to their thickness.
The embodiment includes a flap attached to the top of the flexible bag. The flap defines one or more cartridge mounting holes by which to restrain the cartridge within a housing.
There is a product release mechanism that includes a removable product release portion of the flexible bag. Removal of the product release portion creates an opening and allows the plurality of products to expand out of the flexible bag so that at least a number of the products are ejected from the bag into dispensing position within a housing. The product release mechanism also includes a tab attached to the removable product release portion which, when pulled, would allow the removal of the product release portion.
The paper products compressed within the flexible bag may be napkins, tissues, towels or wipers.
Another embodiment of the present invention, a dispensing system, includes both a housing and a cartridge.
The housing includes a plurality of intersecting exterior sidewalls defining an interior surface and an interior area within the interior surface for receiving a cartridge. The housing also includes a first end wall intersecting the exterior sidewalls and defining a dispensing throat. Additionally, the housing includes a second end wall intersecting the exterior sidewalls. Moreover, the housing includes a means for securing a cartridge within the housing.
The cartridge, which is to be inserted into the interior area of the housing, includes a flexible bag sized to the dimensions of the products to be loaded in it. The cartridge also includes a plurality of products compressed within the flexible bag in the dispensing direction. Additionally, the cartridge includes a means for restraining the cartridge within the housing and a means for releasing the products from the flexible bag.
The means for securing a cartridge within the housing may include at least one housing hook member attached to the inside of an exterior sidewall or to the inside of the second end wall. Additionally, the means for securing a cartridge within the housing may include at least one housing mounting hole or slot defined by at least one of the exterior sidewalls or by the second end wall.
The means for restraining the cartridge within the housing may include at least one housing hook member attached to a flap attached to the top of the flexible bag. Additionally, the means for restraining the cartridge within the housing may include a flap attached to the top of the flexible bag, the flap defining one or more cartridge mounting holes.
The housing may include one or more protrusions extending from the interior surface on one or more of the exterior sidewalls into the interior area for contacting the cartridge and/or the products. The protrusions extending from the interior surface of the housing may be curved bumpers and/or rib members. If the protrusions are curved bumpers, the curved bumpers may additionally include a plurality of ridges extending across the curved bumpers perpendicular to the dispensing direction. Additionally, the protrusions may be in contact with the first end wall. The protrusions may be rib members arranged to extend from the interior surface of the housing on at least one opposing exterior sidewall and from an end wall in the region around the dispensing throat. In an embodiment, the rib member may contact products that are ejected from the bag and support the products in a dispensing position within the housing.
One or more of the exterior sidewalls may include a door hingedly attached to the housing, the door being openable for insertion of a cartridge of products into the interior area. Additionally, the door may be openable for access to the means for securing a cartridge within the housing and the means for restraining the cartridge within the housing. Moreover, the first end wall may include a door hingedly attached to the housing, the door being openable for insertion of a cartridge of products into the interior area.
The flexible bag for containing the products may be substantially rectangular. The flexible bag may be formed of paper. Alternatively and/or additionally, the flexible bag may be formed of a plastic material such as a sheet so that the bag has panels with a thickness that may be from about 0.3 to about 15 mils. Desirably, the bag may have panels or walls with a thickness that may be from about 1 to about 7 mils. More desirably, the panels or walls may have a thickness that may be from about 2 to about 3 mils.
The cartridge may include removable product access portions, removal of the product access portions creating openings in the cartridge, wherein at least one of the openings is disposed adjacent at least one of the protrusions so that the protrusion extends through the opening to contact the plurality of products. The removable product access portions may be defined by a series of perforations in the flexible bag.
The means for releasing the products from the flexible bag may include a removable product release portion of the flexible bag. Removal of the product release portion creates an opening and allows the plurality of products to expand out of the flexible bag so that at least a number of the products are ejected from the bag into dispensing position within the housing. The removable product release portion may be defined by a series of perforations in the flexible bag. Additionally, the means for releasing the products from the flexible bag may include a tab attached to the removable product release portion which, when pulled, would allow the removal of the product release portion.
The plurality of products compressed within the flexible bag may be a plurality of paper products. The paper products may be napkins, tissues, or towels. The paper products may be compressed within the cartridge in a direction substantially parallel to their thickness.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through the practice of the invention.